


May I Have This Dance?

by wanderingaesthetic



Category: Final Fantasy IV
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Pre-Poly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:55:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25723204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wanderingaesthetic/pseuds/wanderingaesthetic
Summary: After the end, a scene from a ball in Baron.
Relationships: Cecil Harvey/Kain Highwind, Rosa Joanna Farrell/Cecil Harvey/Kain Highwind, Rosa Joanna Farrell/Kain Highwind
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	May I Have This Dance?

The ball went on, evolving into something less formal than it had started as Baron’s guests fell under the influence of wine and song. As one dance ended and another began, Rosa, _Queen_ Rosa, curtsied before Kain, took his hand, and asked him for a dance. Kain looked over his shoulder at Cecil, who he’d been serving as a loose honor guard. Cecil nodded and lightly pushed him forward.

Rote memory guided Kain through the steps. He only half managed to lead the dance as Rosa whirled at less than arm’s length from him, as they clasped hands, as he lost all awareness of his surroundings that weren’t her. Rosa picked up his slack, guided him back into the rhythm of the bards as they played, smiled at him mischievously.

Very soon, too soon, it was over, and Rosa was walking him back to his place at Cecil’s side.

“You aren’t jealous?” Kain asked Cecil as Rosa rose from her curtsy and turned to make her way through her other guests.

“Jealous?” Cecil asked with the beginning of a laugh. “Do you believe that such are your charms that one dance around the hall and she’ll cease to love me and fall into your arms?”

“No,” Kain said peevishly. “But I would fear it, if I were you.”

Cecil glanced at Kain over his shoulder. “You do yourself so little credit.”

“What?”

“You believe yourself unlovable. That no one would choose to be with you except by force.”

Kain was silent for a moment, watching the crowd. “What does it matter that _someone_ might choose to be with me? I have only ever loved one woman. And she loves you.”

“She cares for you also, you know that, don’t you?”

“Not as she does for you.”

“No one ever loves two people the same in their whole life. I haven’t, anyway.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“That if you’re not going to wander off and engage yourself to some Troian girl, if you insist on tormenting yourself by staying in Baron, then the least you could do is spend some time with the woman you claim to love.”

“You would have me spend time with her? Your wife? Knowing full well how I feel about her?”

“Should I not trust you alone with her? Would you be a danger to her? Would you do anything she did not wish?”

“No!”

“Then I fail to see the problem. Would a few dates for tea be more than you could endure? Would you take what sort of relationship with her as you can, or would you prefer to pine for her at a distance the rest of your life?”

“In truth I….”

“What?”

“I loved Rosa as a girl, but… the woman she has become…” Kain shook his head. “I hardly know her.”

“Then get to know her again. It’s that simple.”

“I don’t,” Kain spluttered. “I can’t. I don’t deserve to.”

“Love is not about deserving.”

“ _You_ deserve _my_ love,” Kain said firmly.

Cecil turned to face him, shocked. He knew how rarely Kain expressed any emotion, and how much more rarely he called that one by its name. Cecil understood it as the precious gift that it was.

“Perhaps it’s that way for you, _your majesty,”_ Kain continued. _“_ And you only deign to give your love to those beneath you out of charity, but for some of us love _is_ earned.”

“Kain, I’m not saying you don’t deserve…. We’ve all done wrong. We’ve all fallen short.”

“Even Rosa?”

“Yes! Her list of sins may not be so long and interesting as ours, but she’s only a human woman, a queen and a mage with a great many responsibilities, and she needs all the support she can get from whatever quarter she can get it from. Anyone so perfect as to deserve everyone’s love wouldn’t _need_ it.”

Kain bit back the retort that was on his lips about _needs_ and _white mages._ He suspected, because he had spent far too many nights laying awake thinking about it, that Rosa and Cecil’s relationship had begun in earnest because Cecil was suffering. Suffering under the training of becoming a Dark Knight, suffering under the weight of the blood he had shed in service to Baron. In Rosa’s efforts to heal him, to relieve some of his burden, they had become closer. She had fallen into his arms. Into his bed.

“Try to forgive yourself, Kain, try to live. I’ve done all I can for you. I can only hope that Rosa can do something more.”

“You would risk--?”

“I risk _nothing._ I trust both of you.”

“But why do you—“

“Why do I trust you? Are you questioning the judgement of your king? Are you saying you do not merit the honors I have placed upon you? Would you recommend someone else, to serve in your stead?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Kain said, lowering his head.

“I do not _have_ to indulge this, Kain.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Although,” Cecil said, deflating slightly. “Please remember that part of the service you render me is your ability to question my judgement to my face.”

“Now you’re just being confusing, Your Majesty,” said Kain, gaze still downward, but with the hint of a smile in his voice.

Cecil sighed. “The one arena in which I do not trust you is where it concerns your treatment of yourself.”

“Then I suppose I must strive to serve you better.”

“Do so.”

“May I say something… Cecil?” Kain said, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

“Of course.”

He drew himself up and looked at Cecil sideways, his voice low. “I kind of like it when you play the ‘I Am Your King’ card.”

“If we weren’t in public, I would slap you.”

“Something for another time, then,” he said, bowing, and for an added measure he took Cecil’s hand and kissed his signet. “Your Majesty.”

Kain walked away from him across the ballroom with a slight skip in his step.


End file.
